This is it, folks. I’ve listened to his ensemble writing podcast. I’ve consumed his YouTube lectures. I’ve even listened to his ramble pod he threw together with his buddies so he has something to do while signing papers. I think literally every one of my closest friends has read at least one Sanderson novel years ago. So, I finally dug through the TBR pile, dusted off the covers, fought down the fear of potentially unmet hype, and read my first Brandon Sanderson, starting where the author himself recommends: Mistborn era 1, book 1.
Mistborn is an interesting contradiction in that it is both painfully stereotypical and charmingly unexpected. On the surface, the setup is very by-the-numbers, especially for heavy epic fantasy readers. Young underdog protagonist with latent superpowers. A prophecy. A wise old mentor. An evil empire ruled by a dark lord. However, the devil is in the details, and the details are delightful. The Final Empire is a well-executed character-driven adventure with fastidious worldbuilding and, of course, a killer hard magic-system. Let’s talk about it.
The Basics:
Title: Mistborn: The Final Empire (Mistborn #1)
Author: Brandon Sanderson
Genre: Epic Fantasy, High Fantasy, Action-Adventure. Mystery. Comedy.
Published: Tor, 2006.
Spoiler-Free Summary:
The world is covered in ash and mist. The meager plants scraping out a living are brown, and pretty much everything else is gray. The mists are no mere natural phenomenon. For one thing, they hide monsters. More importantly, they are the fabled source of the powers of the setting’s two types of magic-users: allomancers and feruchemists. To be painfully brief, they use magic metals to temporarily gain one of 16 powers. The mages must be trained to make the most of their abilities, but the basic aptitude is hereditary. You are either attuned to a specific metal, or you aren’t. Very rarely, an allomancer may be able to access all 16 powers. These special users are the eponymous mistborn.
Unfortunately, most allomancers work for the evil Lord Ruler or one of his lackeys. The immortal dictator cares nothing for his people, using most as slave labor to bolster his power. He is worshipped as a god, praised (eagerly or begrudgingly, depending) for keeping the mists and their monsters at bay and banishing an even more ancient evil than himself.
Enter Vin, a scrappy orphan. She falls in with a crew of thieves led by a brash former noble named Kelsier. He and his lovable criminals-with-hearts-of-gold are after far more than mere worldly lucre: they plan to kill the Lord Ruler and topple the only government their ash-covered world has known for a thousand years. (Of course, they won’t do it. Yet. It’s book 1 of a long, loooong series. But, traveling with them as they plot and scheme and bleed is a wild ride). Vin’s role is a bit unusual for the genre: she gets the My-Fair-Lady treatment as she trains to spy on the nobility. How’s that for an action-adventure fantasy training montage?
At first, Vin doesn’t embrace Kelsier’s mission. Who can blame her? It’s unbelievable. Audacious. But, the crew are the first people in her life to treat her like family. Together, they embark on the suicide mission worthy of song.
Why You Will Love This Book:
I found the hype well worth it. The prose was sharp, the characters well-realized, the plot engaging, the worldbuilding thorough, and the magic system was spot-on. There are books that do each one of these elements slightly better, but I have not read a popular fantasy author with a more well-rounded game than Sanderson. Each element was, at a minimum, very well done, raising the final product to excellence.
In my opinion, Sanderson has two real strengths. The obvious one, is the worldbuilding. Everything comes at you when and where you need it, so you’re not overwhelmed, and each element contributes meaningfully to the plot. Every detail matters, and that tickles a very deep part of my reader lizard-brain. It’s very satisfying. Less well-known, perhaps, is his character work. Each one has something fun and unique to offer, and nobody is 100% exactly as they seem at first glance. Within the greater overarching mystery, each character presents a puzzle of their own to keep the pages turning.
I’ll be transparent: I read this almost 9 months ago, and since, I’ve read nine Sanderson novels, including all of Mistborn eras 1 and 2 (3 is nothing but an outline at this point). To avoid smothering you with too much of a good thing, I plan to both spread the Cosmere Content out, and, consolidate. The next time I post about Mistborn I’ll review both books 2 and 3 together. Some weeks later, I’ll review Books 4- 7 (Era 2) together. Somewhere in that range, I’ll probably mix in my take on the famous Secret Projects as well.
Where Can You Learn More?
Maybe I’m revealing too much of My Internet Algorithm here, but where can’t you find Brandon Sanderson? He is the opposite of the reclusive hermit author. Normally, I would point you to a web site, dear reader, but I’m actually going to recommend you check out the YouTube channel for updates, podcasts, writing advice, and interviews.
Happy reading, folks.
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